


What Makes a Home, Home

by Midorisakura (Calacious)



Category: We Bare Bears (TV)
Genre: Family Feels, Fluff, Gen, Hawaii, Mild Angst, Spoilers, Vacation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-18
Updated: 2017-12-18
Packaged: 2019-02-16 14:29:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,646
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13055886
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Calacious/pseuds/Midorisakura
Summary: When the bears win an all expenses paid trip to Hawaii, they do not see eye to eye on what they should do with their time.





	1. Aloha, Welcome to Hawaii

**Author's Note:**

  * For [hhertzof](https://archiveofourown.org/users/hhertzof/gifts).



> Mele Kalikimaka, hhertzof, I hope that you enjoy this.
> 
> Please forgive errors in time, and in geography. Mahalo.

[Grand Naniloa Hotel Hilo](https://www.google.com/url?q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.reservations.com%2Fhotel%2Fhilo-naniloa-hotel%3Frmcid%3Drcc4)

Grizz, Panda and Ice Bear walked down the steps that led them from the plane onto the tarmac. Dressed in flowered aloha shirts, they were more than ready for their adventure in Hawaii.

"Aloha, welcome to Hawaii," said a beautiful young woman. She wore a flowered dress and had dark hair that cascaded down her back and a pretty red hibiscus flower tucked behind her left ear.  
  
She kissed each of them on the cheek and pulled them into a brief hug to exchange ha. Another young, dark haired woman, also dressed in a flowery dress with a white and yellow flower tucked behind her left ear, placed a kukui nut lei over each of their heads, and exchanged the breath of life with them as well.   
  
Blushing, Panda ducked his head and held the embrace a little longer than he maybe should have. The young woman blushed as well and gave Panda a gentle squeeze before pulling away.

“Aloha,” she said.

“Aloha,” Panda said shyly.  
  
Grizz took a deep breath and smiled widely. "Smell that, brothers? It's the delectable smell of paradise. Coconuts, tropical flowers and salty ocean air."   
  
Panda breathed in deeply and sneezed as his allergies were aggravated by the heavy scent of coconut oil, plumeria and gardenia flowers.   
  
One of the women who'd welcomed them to Hawaii said, "Aww, so cute." She gave Panda a little wave, and giggled.   
  
Panda blushed and sneezed a second and then a third time. He'd have to take his allergy meds soon, or he'd be miserable during their week long stay in Hawaii.

The palm trees were decorated with colorful lights and baubles for the holiday season. There was an inflatable Santa dressed in board shorts, and an inflatable snowman that looked like it was melting.  
  
"Ice Bear smells coconuts, flowers and ocean," Ice Bear said. He gave the barest hint of a smile and waved a hand held fan that he seemed to have pulled out of thin air in front of his face. It was warmer than he was used to. He couldn't wait to see what refrigeration system their hotel room had.   
  
"Brother up," Grizz said, and, gathering their few pieces of luggage, they formed a bear stack with Ice on the bottom, Panda in the middle --already entering their destination into the map app on his phone -- and Grizz on top.   
  
"Next stop, the famous three and a half star Grand Naniloa Hotel Hilo for a week of pampering and exploration. Tallyho, brothers, nothing but adventure lies ahead," Grizz said with great enthusiasm.   
  
"I still can't believe we won this all expense paid trip to Hawaii, and just in time for Christmas," Panda said.   
  
"Yeah, who knew that watching late-night television could be so rewarding?" Grizz said as Ice took off at a steady pace in the direction that Panda indicated.   
  
“What shall we do first, brothers?” Grizz asked. He tried to take in all of the sights, head swiveling from side to side in a manner that was dizzying. It would be dark soon, and he didn’t want to miss anything.

“Palm trees, blue skies, ooh, look, there’s the ocean!” Grizz pointed off to the left, and then the right, and nearly toppled the trio when he surged forward, eyes wide with excitement.

“It’s all so blue,” Panda said in awe, sneezing when a floral scent tickled his nose.

For a moment, the brother stack wobbled precariously as they struggled to remain upright after Panda’s sneeze. It was only due to Ice Bear’s ninja like reflexes and excellent balance that they were able to stay stacked.

“Hotel first,” Ice Bear said. There was a determined gleam to his eyes, and he marched ahead, Grizz swiveling around to continue to stare at the ocean.

The asphalt was hot, and the sun, in spite of it being winter in Hawaii, was still unbearably hot. The sooner they got to their destination, the better, Ice Bear thought. He wondered if Grizz had remembered to pack the sunblock.

“I hope this place has free internet,” Panda said a little grumpily, eyeing the one bar that he currently had on his phone.

“Oh, it’s got free internet; there’s a pool, air-conditioning, a free breakfast buffet. It’s the whole enchilada, guys,” Grizz said. “Look, there’s a rainbow!” Grizz pointed at a rainbow that was directly ahead of them.

“Ice Bear sees the rainbow,” Ice Bear said with a grunt. The sooner they got to the hotel, the sooner he could get to work on making sure that he had a place to cool off in.

“We should take a selfie, guys.” Panda switched his phone from the map to the camera and Ice Bear paused his forward march and turned them so that Panda could get a picture of them with the rainbow behind.

“On three,” Panda said, phone balanced on the selfie stick that he’d purchased specifically for their trip. “One, two, three, smile.”

Grizz had a great big grin on his face, teeth gleaming in a bright ray of sunlight that seemed to be aimed directly at him; Panda’s smile was a little more subdued, his eyes squinting against the light; and Ice Bear’s smile was hardly there, but it _was_ there. The rainbow was behind them, colors vibrant against the blue sky. There were a few clouds scattered overhead, but the sun was streaking right through them. It really was an idyllic day for exploring the island, and the picture captured all of it.

“Guys, can we do that again?” Panda asked. “My eyes were closed.”

When Panda’s, _‘just one more time,’_ turned into nine, Ice Bear’s smile slipped into a thin-lipped not quite frown, and even Grizz’s smile started to waffle. Ice Bear ended the selfie spree with an abrupt about face that almost caused Grizz to topple from the top of the stack.

“Hotel,” Ice Bear said, voice gruff.

“Brothers, full speed ahead!” Grizz pointed toward their destination and Ice Bear trotted as fast as he could, carrying his brothers.

Ice Bear was happy when they reached their destination and checked into the hotel. He was used to the weight of his brothers, but not that of the luggage they’d brought with them.

“Welcome to paradise, brothers,” Grizz said once they’d reached their room.

Grizz spread his arms wide to encompass the enormity of the room, and flung himself on the nearest bed, bouncing upright and landing in front of Panda who stumbled back into Ice Bear, arms windmilling to keep from falling. Ice Bear caught Panda and kept him from face-planting on the carpet.

“Grizz.” Panda frowned at his brother. “Don’t do that. You’re always bouncing around.”

“Sorry, there, Pan Pan.” Grizz sat on the bed, bouncing. “The beds are _so_ comfy. You’re gonna love them, and, look, we’ve got an ocean view!”

Ice Bear worked his way around Panda, and started looking for the room’s ice box. When he found the small, box-shaped refrigerator, he stood in front of it, frowning. “Ice Bear cannot fit in that tiny refrigeration unit.”

“The room’s got air conditioning.” Panda patted his brother on the shoulder. He was already scrolling through the hundreds of photos that he’d taken on the plane, and while they were on the way to their hotel, trying to find the best one to post on social media.

“Ice Bear likes that one,” Ice Bear said, peering over Panda’s arm and pointing at one of the rainbow pictures that he’d taken of the three of them.

Panda smiled, and sat down on the bed closest to the window while he figured out what he wanted to say on his post. He muttered to himself as he worked, completely absorbed in his phone.

Ice Bear walked over to the air conditioner and fiddled with it. He’d probably have to make some modifications to cool it down to the ideal temperature, but he’d packed tools that should do the trick. He got out his tools and started working on making the room cool enough.

Grizz lay back on the bed, remote control in hand, flipping through the premium channels on the television. He stopped on one about island adventures, and settled back to watch, completely enthralled with the blues and greens of the ocean and sky, and the adventures that the explorers were having.

Grizz fluffed his pillow and folded his hands behind his head. He stretched out to his full length, wriggling his toes and body until he was comfortable. “Ah, this is the life.”

“Uh huh.” Panda scrolled through various posts on social media, liking some, not liking others, leaving emojis and comments on a few.

The hours from late afternoon to evening passed quickly with the brothers exchanging a few words, ordering food in, each completely engaged in their own task, taking a brief moment to watch the sun as it set over the ocean. Panda snapped a few photos and immediately posted them, hash tagging them: #hawaiiansunset #pretty #sublime.

“Ice Bear is almost done.” Ice Bear tapped the air conditioning unit with one of his tools and it started chugging out ice cold air, eliciting a small smile from him and a grimace from Panda.

“Brr.” Panda shivered, and frowned at Ice Bear. He scooted underneath the bed covers.

“Well, brothers, what should we do tomorrow?” Grizz asked. He was flipping through channels and sifting through a pile of pamphlets that one of the hotel workers had given him when they’d checked in.

“Ice Bear wants to find snow on Mauna Kea.” Ice Bear put his tools away, and searched for the sunscreen that he hoped one of his other brothers had packed as it wasn’t among his tools. He sighed in relief when he found some in Panda’s suitcase.

He’d have to find transportation to the other side of the island so that he could go to the summit of the volcano. Even if he couldn’t find snow -- though it was not uncommon for there to be some snowfall this time of year -- he would be able to look at the stars and enjoy the much cooler temperatures at the top of the volcano. The tour he’d looked at earlier included parkas for visitors, which meant that it would be the ideal temperature for him.

“I don’t know about that,” Panda said, biting his lip and shivering as he huddled underneath the blankets. “I was looking up the different options while Grizz was watching that nature show, and thought that the helicopter tour of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and Waterfalls would be interesting, and you know, not freezing cold, though I also thought it might be nice to, you know, hang out at the hotel and enjoy the pool. It’s right next to the ocean, and have you _seen_ the size of the bathroom?”

Grizz rolled his eyes and exchanged an exasperated look with Ice Bear. Panda crossed his arms and shook his head. “I do _not_ spend too much time in the bathroom,” he protested the unspoken complaint that he could read in his brother’s expressions.

“Hmm, I was thinking we should go on the 9-Line Zip-N-Dip experience. Think about it, it would be just us and mother nature and the thrill of zipping over trees and waterfalls, swimming and kayaking” Grizz said. “It says, right here in the pamphlet, that lunch is provided.”

“Ice Bear will get a picnic lunch, hot chocolate, and dessert.” Ice Bear took one of the pillows from the bed that Panda had claimed, and one from the bed that Grizz had claimed and started setting up his bed right in front of the air conditioner.

“Oh, you know what we should do?” Grizz asked, eyes lit up with excitement.

“What?” Panda asked with much less enthusiasm.

“We should get one of those authentic flowery shirts, not the touristy kind like we have, and eat some pineapple, and coconut, and...”

“We have a whole week, Grizz, we don’t have to do everything right now,” Panda said.

“I know what we should do,” Grizz said, excited and bouncing. “We should make a list of everything we want to do and check it off once we get it done.” His eyes lit up with enthusiasm.

“Ice Bear’s list includes a good night’s sleep and Mauna Kea,” Ice Bear said. He fluffed his pillows, and, with a sigh, lay down on them. “Paradise.”

“In an ice cave,” Panda muttered as he pulled the covers up to his nose. At least they had plenty of blankets.

“I suppose that it _is_ getting late,” Grizz said, thinking about the nighttime hikes to see flowing lava that they could be going on right that very minute. He was tired from the flight, but he was also very excited to be in Hawaii, and wanted to experience _everything_ that it had to offer. Panda was much too cautious and Ice Bear too set in his ways, though.

“Ice Bear is going to sleep now. Good night.” Ice Bear turned his back to his brothers and closed his eyes. It had been a _very_ long day. He was exhausted, and if he wanted to go stargazing on the other side of the island, he would have to be well rested.

“Night,” Panda said.

“Goodnight.” Grizz turned the TV down and flipped through the channels until he found an adventure movie about a shark, helicopters, and a snake charmer. He fell asleep before the movie was over, and dreamt about falling from a helicopter into a volcano, a shark chasing after him, and a snake wrapped around his torso.

The next morning, the brothers went to breakfast. Panda found plenty of tropical fruits to eat, and after taking his medicine, he had no trouble with his allergies. There was rice and fish as well, and plenty of sausage, bacon and eggs for Grizz and Ice Bear to indulge in.

Still feeling a bit peckish, Ice Bear walked by the omelet station and watched the young man operating it for a bit. The man lacked enthusiasm, and he added no flourish at the end of his production.

“Ice Bear wants to make his own omelet,” Ice Bear told the man operating the omelet station.

“Uh, sir, that’s not really...uh...” the omelet chef sputtered as Ice Bear donned an apron and started working on making an omelet, effectively pushing the man aside.

Soon, a number of hotel guests had gathered around to watch Ice Bear at work, amazed at his speed and agility, and how fluffy the omelets turned out. Ice Bear was in his element, slicing, dicing, flipping food, and piling it on people’s plates. Even the young man he’d taken over for was in awe of how quickly and efficiently Ice Bear worked.

“Ice Bear thanks you,” Ice Bear said, bowing to the young man at the omelet bar after the morning rush had slowed down. He took off the apron and folded it before handing it to the young man and taking the omelets he’d made for himself and Grizz and joining his brothers at one of the tables to eat the omelet that he’d made.

“Okay, I’ve been thinking about what we should do today,” Grizz said after they’d finished their breakfasts. “And I think the best thing for us to do is for each of us to go on our own adventures, and report back to each other. What do you think?”

Panda frowned in thought as he posted one of the pictures that he’d taken of his breakfast on his favorite social media site and hashtagged it: #bestbreakfasteva. He added a shaka emoji and the location of the hotel before posting it.

“I don’t know, Grizz,” Panda said. “I think we should stick together.”

“Pshaw,” Grizz said, waving away his brother’s reluctance to try new things, or be on his own.

“Ice Bear wants to see snow,” Ice Bear said, emphatic. “Panda wants to see volcanoes, or enjoy a spa day. Grizz wants to see water and trees.”

“And get one of those authentic flower shirts,” Grizz added.

“Aloha shirts,” Ice Bear corrected.

“Then it’s settled,” Grizz said, clapping his hands together.

“Wait, what’s settled?” Panda looked up from his phone. He looked from Grizz to Ice Bear, brow furrowed in confusion.

“We will each go on our own adventure and meet back at the hotel room tonight,” Grizz said, smiling from ear to ear as he slapped Panda on the back before heading back to their room to get ready for the day. He was excited, and couldn’t wait to get started.

Panda blinked at his brother’s hasty retreat, and though he was a little concerned about each of them striking out on their own in a place they’d never been to before, he shrugged it off. Grizz would not be swayed, and Ice Bear was determined to see snow, or find the only freezing cold spot on the island (outside of their hotel room).

Panda should take advantage of being on his own for the day. He searched for the helicopter tour times and took a much more leisurely stroll back to their hotel room. He hated that Grizz and Ice Bear were always in such a rush to get places. Ice Bear was quick to get what he needed for his adventure and was well on his way to Mauna Kea before Panda had even made it back to the room.

Grizz was just leaving for his four hour adventure when Panda stepped into the room. “See you later, little bro,” Grizz said in passing. He was grinning with excitement.  



	2. Tiny Bubbles, Everywhere

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Panda is looking forward to having some time alone, without his overbearing brothers busting in on him, demanding that he give them some time in the bathroom.

[Helicopter Tours on the Big Island](https://www.google.com/url?q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tripadvisor.com%2FAttraction_Products-g29217-zfc12026-zfg11864-Island_of_Hawaii_Hawaii.html)

Panda sighed after Grizz left, and flopped down on his bed. It was definitely time for some rest and relaxation. He was in no rush to get ready for the forty-five minute helicopter tour and wanted to make sure that he kept in touch with his followers on social media. It might not be important to his brothers, but it was important to him.

Maybe he’d skip the tour altogether and just sit beside the pool, which was right next to the ocean, and drink something fruity. They had a whole week to explore the island. He didn’t need to be in a rush to do anything. It was a good feeling. At home, they were always going somewhere, or doing something that Grizz wanted to do. It was nice to have some time to himself for a change.

“First, I’ll take a bath in the Jacuzzi, then schedule some poolside time, and then helicopter tour, or not,” Panda said aloud, though no one else was in the room. He smiled to himself and took a deep breath in contentment.

The air conditioner was blasting icy cold air and he shivered. Narrowing his eyes at Ice Bear’s handiwork, and how ice crystals had formed around the air conditioning unit and part of the wall, Panda gathered his toiletries and went into the huge bathroom that had, not only a shower, but also a Jacuzzi tub. The room was three times the size of their bathroom at home, and Panda felt some of the tension in his shoulders ease.

The Jacuzzi tub had some complimentary Christmas themed bath bombs, fancy soaps, and luxurious bubble baths available for use. There were shower caps, fluffy bathrobes and towels, and slippers for each of them to use. It might only have three and a half stars on websites, but Panda felt like it deserved five.

“Where do I even start?” Panda asked the room at large as he surveyed the items before him. He picked up each offering in turn, and, after much deliberation, decided on the candy cane scented bubble bath. He started running the water, and put a cap-full of the bubble bath in.

“Hmm, not many bubbles,” he mused aloud. He added a second, and then a third cap-full of the bubble bath into the tub and waited for the water to rise above the water jets. While he waited, he laid out what he would need for after his bath, and took out his contacts. It was going to be great having the humongous bathroom all to himself and no one to tease him for taking so long, or demand that he get out so someone else could use it.

“ _This_ is the life,” Panda said as he stepped into the tub of hot water and sunk down into it until only his head was above the water. There weren’t many bubbles at all, but the room smelled very pepperminty. He turned the jets on once he was comfortable and got ready to relax.

The scent of peppermint enveloped him, and Panda closed his eyes in contentment. “No brothers to burst in on me and tell me that I’m taking too long. No icy cold air. No...what...no...wait, uh...oh, no, no, no, no, no,” Panda said, sitting up abruptly, frantic as what had once been only a few bubbles turned into a veritable mountain of pink, candy cane scented bubbles.

He wouldn’t need to go outside of the tub to see any mountain peaks today, he thought, a little panicked, because he’d created his own mountain. The bubbles continued to grow in number, surrounding him like an army of pretty pink effervescent beads.

“Oh, no, no, no...where is the off button?” Panda flailed about in the tub, trying to push the pink bubbles out of his way so that he could find the button to turn the jets off. Water, and bubbles splashed over the edge of the tub. The bubbles were starting to creep out onto the marble floor of the bathroom, like some kind of blob monster.

Where were his brothers when he needed them? He could really use Ice Bear’s help right now. There was no doubt in his mind that his brother would know what to do, and how to get rid of all of the bubbles before they took over the entire bathroom.

“Oh, no, I can’t see!” Panda pushed bubbles this way and that way as he fought his way toward the other side of the large Jacuzzi tub, feeling along the edge as he went. If he could just get to the button, he could end this nightmare before things really got ugly.

Finally, his paw hit the button, and the jets turned off, but the bubbles stubbornly remained in place. Higher than his head, they blocked Panda’s vision of the rest of the room.

“What do I do now?”

Shoulders sagging in defeat, Panda sighed, and wondered how things had gotten out of hand so quickly. He wasn’t sure how to get the bubbles to go down, or how to get out of the tub without having more of them spill out onto the floor. All he’d wanted to do was to indulge in a warm, luxurious bath, but, as often happened, he’d failed at it.

“What would Grizz do?” Panda asked himself.

He pictured Grizz sitting in the tub, surrounded by a mountain of pink bubbles, shower cap on his head, rubber ducky in one hand and toy boat in the other. He shook his head as he envisioned Grizz mounting an attack on the bubbles and sending them flying all over the bathroom, creating even more of a mess. Grizz seemed to make an adventure of everything. Nothing was ever dull when Grizz was around.

Frowning, Panda asked himself, “What would Ice Bear do?”

He tried to picture Ice Bear sitting in a tub filled with pink bubbles, but couldn’t. “Ice Bear doesn’t even use warm water in the tub, bubbles would never even have a chance to form,” he muttered aloud, and then he smiled when he realized what he had to do. It would completely ruin his plans for a warm, bubbly bath, but it _would_ make cleaning up his mess a lot easier.

Easing himself over to the faucet, spitting out mouthfuls of bubbles along the way, Panda felt around blindly for the plug, and when he found it, he pulled it quickly, silently lamenting the loss of heat that what he had to do next would cause. When there was only about an inch of water left in the tub, Panda replaced the plug and turned on the cold water. It would eradicate the bubbles, but Panda was not looking forward to freezing in the process.

He knew that he could get out of the tub, but that it would defeat the purpose of what he was doing now, because the bubbles would follow him. There was no sense in getting out of the tub and filling it with cold water if he was just going to be bringing the bubbles with him. No, he’d have to endure the freezing cold water until the majority of the bubbles were gone, and then he’d warm up outside by the pool, or take a hot shower.

“H-h-how c-c-can I-i-ice B-b-b...s-s-st-a-a-and-d thi-s-s?” Panda stuttered as he started the jets and let the icy water take care of the overabundance of bubbles he’d accidentally created. He was shivering so hard that his teeth were chattering.

Soon, though, he grew accustomed to the cold, and the bubbles started dwindling. His teeth were no longer chattering, and he almost felt warm. “Huh...maybe the cold isn’t so bad after all.”

When there was only a thin, paltry layer of bubbles left, Panda turned off the jets, pulled the plug, and got out of the tub. He mopped up the bubbles and water that had spilled over the edge with a few of the towels. He wrapped himself in one of the fluffy bathrobes and wound the remaining towel around his head. He knew that it would be freezing in their hotel room, and wasn’t looking forward to traversing it to get his sunscreen so that he could sit beside the pool and bask in the sun for the rest of the day. No way was he going on a helicopter ride after his bubble debacle. He was already worn out.

“Where is it?” Panda asked as he strew his scant clothing all over the place, looking for the sunscreen that he knew he’d packed. It was nowhere to be found.

Frowning, and shivering, Panda decided that he’d just have to risk a burn. His fur should protect him, and he’d wear his sunglasses and his large brimmed straw hat. He should be fine.

There were only a few people at the pool. Panda chose a plastic lawn chair that afforded him a view of the ocean. He placed one of the long towels that were kept poolside for hotel guests to use on the lawn chair and then settled down on it. When a server came around, he ordered a non-alcoholic lava flow (pureed strawberry, banana, pineapple and coconut) served in a pineapple and a vegetarian taro burger.

“Now _this_ is the life,” Panda said as he took a picture of himself with his umbrella drink next to the pool and posted it. He wondered what his brothers were up to, and if they were enjoying their adventures without him. Now that he wasn’t battling monstrous bubbles or freezing, he was starting to enjoy himself.

  
  



	3. Hawaii's Blue, Without My Brothers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Grizz is excited to go on his zip-line adventure solo. An encounter with another big brother, makes him realize how much he misses his little brothers.

[9-Line Zip-N-Dip Experience](https://www.viator.com/tours/Big-Island-of-Hawaii/9-Line-ZipLine-Experience/d669-26811P2)

Grizz had never been more pumped in his life. Not even his adventure through the rapids could compare to this.

The air was fresh; there wasn’t a touch of smog, and he could taste the ocean salt in the air.

It was a beautiful day filled with sunshine and there wasn’t a cloud in sight. He didn’t have to worry about Panda bringing him down, or Ice Bear showing him up. He loved his brothers, but sometimes they really got to him. It was nice to be without them for a little while.

He didn’t know what he wanted to do first in paradise’s natural adventure land. There were nine zip-lines. Each would send him zooming over a different landscape ranging from tropical gardens to lava tubes, to ocean, to lush riverbanks. Afterward, he could enjoy a nice picnic lunch, and then kayak, paddle board, or swim in the private pond, or simply enjoy the waterfall. There was a suspension bridge, too. No way would Panda be brave enough to cross that unless Grizz tossed his phone to the other side of it. Ice Bear would probably forgo the bridge entirely, and find an alternative path across the gulf, forcing Grizz to do something equally as brave.

He brushed aside thoughts of his brothers as he pondered his options. He could start by going over the 200-foot suspension bridge, follow that up with some water-sport, and then lunch and finish off with the zip-lines. Or he could start with the water-sports, go on the zip-lines, enjoy lunch, and then finish with the bridge.

“What to do first?” he asked himself.

He almost expected to hear a complaint from Panda or a gruff suggestion from Ice Bear. Instead, all he heard was the sharp trill of birds, and the buzz of the insect life. Thankfully, he’d applied some bug repellent before leaving the hotel that morning.

Something told him that Ice Bear would instinctively know what to do first, and that Panda would probably go for the simplest, safest option available first -- the private pond. Ice Bear would probably cross the suspension bridge first, dive off of the waterfall, kayak, eat and then go on the zip-lines. He might even skip the lunch to conquer all of the obstacles first (no doubt in record time).

Their tour guide, Keola, was amazing, but was off working with a newly married couple, getting them set up on the first zip-line. The couple reminded Grizz a little of Panda and Ice Bear. He shook off thoughts of his brothers when he started to picture them in place of the young man and woman who were embarking on their married life with a grand adventure that would no doubt be told to their grandchildren years from now.

Keola reminded Grizz of some of the adventurous Everyone's Tubers Grizz had watched and admired over the years, like Badger from, “Badger in the Wild.” He was full of vigor and tall and buff, just like Badger, but he smiled more, and had a much sunnier disposition.

Grizz had his phone with him, and the tour company had provided all of them with helmets that had cell phone mounts so they could videotape their zip-line adventures. Maybe he could make his adventures on the zip-lines go viral and become internet famous. Maybe he could even make an Everyone's Tube series, like Badger, and Nom Nom. Panda was not the only one who knew how to use his cell phone.

Excited with his plan, Grizz rubbed his paws together and got behind the other members of his tour group who were waiting for their turn on the first zip-line. It seemed to be a popular place to start the adventure. He’d go through each of them in turn, and videotape each of them, and post them on his Everyone’s Tube channel. He was going to get so many followers.

“Day 1 of my adventures in the rugged Hawaiian landscape,” Grizz spoke into his camera.

Birds soared overhead and could be heard chattering in the treetops. The phone caught the chirping of the birds, and the roaring of the nearby waterfall, as well as the rushing wind.

“As you can see, fellow adventurers, I am fairly high up in the trees.”

Grizz panned through the treetops and the skies, he panned down to the ground (feeling a little dizzy) and then back up again.

A startled bird chirped and Grizz followed its flight into the sky for a few moments before returning to a view of his face. He pursed his lips tightly together, hoping that he looked game for adventure and not afraid. He wasn’t afraid, nervous maybe, because someone was screaming as they flew along the zip-line. The phone caught the sound of the scream, which cut off abruptly, and Grizz took a deep breath.

“What I am about to do is dangerous, and should not be done without strict supervision. Children, do not try this at home,” Grizz said, giving the camera a wild grin before he paused the camera to get secured to the line. He pressed record, attached his phone to his helmet, and flew over the tops of the trees.

“Woo-hoo! What an adrenaline rush!” Grizz exclaimed as he zoomed above the trees and the river.

“ _This_ is the life!”

He looked down so that his phone could capture what he was seeing. The lustrous greens of the tropical forest, juxtaposed against the bright blues, reds, purples, and yellows of the plant and animal life, painted a beautiful picture that Grizz knew he would never forget in his lifetime, even without the video recording. He just wished that he had someone, other than the slim possibility of an Everyone's Tube audience, to share it with.

“Talk about your bird’s eye view,” Grizz said, voice a little more subdued than it had been, as he zoomed down to the end of the zip-line, the rope jerking a little before he reached the platform.

Grizz turned around to say something to his brothers, “Hey, Ice, Pan --” he cut himself off mid-sentence, shoulders sagging and grin fading as he realized that Ice Bear and Panda weren’t with him to share in this moment. He’d forgotten in his excitement.

Shaking off his momentary funk, he turned and fist bumped one of his fellow tourists who also looked a little glum. “Yeah!” he said. “What a rush.”

“Totally, man,” agreed the tourist, fist bumping Grizz. He was a young, blonde haired man who had dressed in a loud red aloha shirt similar to the one that Grizz was wearing. Grizz had found it in the hotel shop on his way to his tour, and had bought it using some of the money that he and his brothers had gotten from the late night contest they’d won.

“Hey, my name’s Brad. You wanna tackle the next one together?” he asked. “My brothers and I couldn’t agree on what to do today, so we decided to go on separate adventures.”

Grizz felt a tug on his heart. He could tell by Brad’s tone of voice that the man missed his brothers. Grizz missed Panda and Ice Bear, too. “Yeah, sure, man. I’m Grizz.” They did another fist bump and grinned.

“Nice to meet you, Grizz,” Brad said, and then they headed off to the next zip-line, and then the next, until they’d conquered all of them, Grizz recording each one, Panda and Ice Bear at the back of his mind as he and Brad shared an adventure of a lifetime together.

“Man, I wish Brandon and Billy were here to see this with me,” Brad said.

He and Grizz were sitting on a picnic blanket beside the waterfall, food spread out before them. Both of them sighed in unison, and dug into their food halfheartedly.

“I know what you mean,” Grizz said. “I wish Panda and Ice Bear, they’re my brothers, were here with me, too. I mean, Panda would never have gone on half of those zip-lines, and Ice Bear would already be kayaking, but...”

Brad nodded and handed Grizz a cheese stick. “I hear you, man. Brandon would be posting something on social media right about now, and...” he laughed and stared off in the distance. “I think Billy would be right in that kayak with your brother.”

“Brothers,” Grizz said, sharing a feeble laugh with Brad.

“Brothers,” Brad agreed, grimacing, and they clicked their bottled waters together.

They finished their lunch and then headed toward the suspension bridge, thoughts a million miles away. Grizz wondered what his brothers were up to, if Panda had decided to stay at the hotel for the day, or if he’d made it to the helicopter tour of the volcanoes. He pictured Ice Bear forging his own path up to Mauna Kea’s summit and smiled. He couldn’t wait to finish his adventure and return to his brothers at the end of the day.  



	4. What a Wonderful World, Brothers Make

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ice Bear needs to see Hawaiian snow for his visit to paradise to be complete. He also realizes that he needs his brothers, too.

Music mentioned:

[Elvis Presley's, "Blue Hawaii"](https://www.google.com/url?q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DBsUWB9jZPWQ)

[Israel Kamakawiwo’ole’s, “Somewhere Over the Rainbow & What a Wonderful World”](https://www.google.com/url?q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DZ26BvHOD_sg)

The Mauna Kea Summit Tour:

[Mauna Kea Summit Tours](https://www.google.com/url?q=https%3A%2F%2Fmaunakea.com%2F)

Artist mentioned:

[Darice Machel McGuire](https://www.google.com/url?q=https%3A%2F%2Ffineartamerica.com%2Fart%2Fhawaiian%2Bwatercolor)

* * *

 

 

Earbuds tucked firmly in his ears, Ice Bear selected the Hawaiian playlist that he’d compiled prior to their trip, hit play, and boarded the bus that would take him to Mauna Kea State Park. The bluesy voice of Elvis, singing, “Blue Hawaii,” soothed some of the anxiety that he felt having to take public transportation. He preferred travelling by his own four feet, or driving himself.

According to the map app, it would take the bus approximately an hour and a half to reach the state park, provided that the traffic remained light. If they ran into more traffic, which would be unusual for the Friday before Christmas, then it might take the bus two hours to reach his desired destination.

It was a warm, breezy day, and he was looking forward to the cold, mountaintop weather that he’d encounter at the summit of Mauna Kea. He hoped there would be snow, but that the conditions would not be icy, or he’d have to reschedule his trip, unless he decided to go rogue, and break off from the guided tour.

The tour he was going on included a hike, use of a 4x4 passenger van over the rougher terrain, a warm meal and drinks. They would watch the sunset, and then stargaze using the powerful telescopes afterwards. He’d return back to the hotel via the same bus, unless he decided to camp out on the mountain until the next morning. If there was snow, he could easily use it as camouflage, then his brothers could turn the air conditioner off in their room and have a warm night in the room before he returned.

Sighing in contentment, Ice Bear settled back in his seat, and closed his eyes, letting the mix of  classic and modern Hawaiian tunes wash over him as the air conditioned bus traversed the rustic Hawaiian highway that went from Hilo to the Mauna Kea State Park.

“Ice Bear is happy,” he said to himself, smiling, thinking of how he’d have liked to have Chloe with him. She’d have to wear one of the parkas provided by the tour group.

Ice Bear had enjoyed hunting for the perfect tree with Chloe not too long ago. She never minded facing icy cold temperatures with him, and never complained about the cold.

They were a lot alike. Ice Bear admired Chloe’s acute intellect, and enjoyed learning about her Korean heritage. Her ability to understand him, even when he didn’t say a word, was what made them kindred spirits, and what he liked most about her. She did not expect him to say anything, and even anticipated some of his needs, or thoughts, before he’d fully realized them himself.

Chloe was one of a kind, and Ice Bear kind of missed her. He’d have to bring her, and her family, a 기념품 (ginyeompum) from Hawaii. It was, after all, a custom, and Ice Bear liked to follow customs. It was the proper thing to do.

The bus moved along at a decent pace, lulling Ice Bear into a comfortable almost doze. He was more relaxed than he’d been in a long time.

He opened his eyes to mere slits to watch the scenery as they passed trees and small villages. He couldn’t help thinking that Panda and Grizz would have enjoyed seeing this, and hoped they were having fun on their respective adventures.

When the bus reached the Mauna Kea State Park an hour and forty minutes later, Ice Bear’s playlist was on its last song, Israel Kamakawiwo’ole’s heartfelt rendition of, “What a Wonderful World.” Ice Bear liked Braddah Iz’s version of, “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” too, but there was something about this song that Ice Bear found moving. He’d have to share it with Chloe when he returned home.

“‘Friends shaking hands, saying, how do you do?’” Ice Bear hummed to himself as he stepped off the bus. “‘I think to myself, what a wonderful world.’”

“I love that song, too,” one of the passengers said.

She gave him a brilliant smile that Ice Bear tried to return without being too awkward about it. He took one of the earbuds out of his ears, and nodded at the young woman.

“His version of ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow,’ is excellent, too, don’t you think?” she said, still smiling.

Ice Bear nodded. His smile was starting to feel a little too stretchy, and he worried that he was showing too much teeth, but the girl didn’t seem to mind.

“Are you going on the Mauna Kea Sunset and Stargazing tour, too?” she asked, tucking a lock of dark, curly hair behind her ear.

Ice Bear nodded and removed the other earbud. He turned his music off and tried another smile on the girl. She smiled in return.

“Thank goodness, I was hoping that you were,” she said, bouncing on her toes, much as Grizz did when he got particularly excited about something.

Ice Bear frowned at her.

“Oh, no, I promise, I’m not a stalker,” she said, brown eyes going wide. She rested a hand on his arm, and then quickly pulled it back. The smile slipped from her face and she chided herself, “Emma, you always mess everything up.”

“Ice Bear doesn’t mind,” Ice Bear said, giving the girl a smile. She had a sprinkle of freckles that ran across her nose and rosy cheeks.

The girl sighed in relief and then linked an arm through Ice Bear’s, eyes going wide when he stiffened slightly. “Emma...not again!” she scolded herself, trying to disengage their linked arms.

Ice Bear allowed the contact for another brief moment before patting her on the arm and stepping away. Though it felt awkward and strange, he didn’t want Emma to feel bad. He was not as touchy-feely as Grizz was. Panda would probably be swooning right now. Emma was really pretty. Just thinking that thought was enough to make Ice Bear feel uncomfortable.

“I’m sorry that I’ve made things awkward,” Emma apologized, blushing and ducking her head, much in the same way that Panda would have in a similar circumstance.

Ice Bear wished that he knew what to say to make things less awkward, and to let Emma know that it wasn’t a big deal, but the words would not come. What could he say? If Grizz was there, he’d know just what to say, and if Emma was Chloe, well, he wouldn’t have to say anything at all, and Chloe would have just taken him by the hand and pulled him along awkward or not.

Social interaction was exhausting. There were too many factors to consider. Too many ways that things could go wrong, and people always expected him to have something to say. Everyone, that is, except for his brothers and Chloe.

“Ice Bear would be happy to accompany Emma to Mauna Kea’s summit,” Ice Bear offered.

He was rewarded with a dimpled smile, and Emma led the way toward the pickup point, Ice Bear following a step behind.

“This is going to be so much fun!” Emma exclaimed.

“Ice Bear is looking forward to snow,” Ice Bear said.

“It’s in the forecast,” Emma assured him.

Smiling, Ice Bear let the girl chatter on while they waited for transport, and then while aboard the 4x4. It was kind of nice, because he just had to listen, and only rarely had to contribute to the mostly one-sided conversation that Emma was conducting.

It was like having Chloe, Panda, or Grizz with him. He hadn’t realized how much he’d miss his brothers and friend until he did.

There was that time when he’d ventured off on his own, because his brothers had taken advantage of him, but he’d missed them, and had grown homesick. Though he’d enjoyed being appreciated by others, and cooking for someone other than his brothers, he’d wanted to cook for them again.

He did enjoy going out on his own occasionally, but always found his way back to his brothers. They gravitated toward each other, like magnets.

Even though his brothers got on his nerves at times, Ice Bear really did love them. They were there for him when no one else was, and they never treated him different than they treated anyone else.

“You’re missing someone, aren’t you?” Emma asked during a lull in the guided tour, and in her own narrative.

Ice Bear nodded. “Ice Bear misses his brothers.”

“I’m sorry,” Emma said.

“Ice Bear will see them after the tour,” he said, not wanting Emma to worry.

“I miss my mom,” she said. “We were supposed to go on this tour together, but she got a stomach bug and had to stay back at the bed and breakfast.”

“Ice Bear is sorry,” Ice Bear said, hoping that Emma would not become ill, too.

“It’s nice to have someone to enjoy this with,” she said, smiling at him, and snapping a photo of the two of them with the view from the vehicle’s window behind them.

They exited the all terrain vehicle when they were only a quarter of a mile away from the summit. Emma was bundled in a parka, her nose pink from the cold. Ice Bear waved off the proffered parka. He didn’t need it. The tour guide merely raised an eyebrow, and shrugged in response as he moved along to offer parkas to the other visitors. There were fifteen of them in all. Most were paired off, there was one family of three, another of four. They were shivering, in spite of the warm coats they wore.

Ice Bear finally felt as though he’d reached his true paradise when he gazed at the snow that covered the top of the mountain. He breathed in the fresh air, and let the below zero temperature of the mountaintop ease some of the tension that he’d been feeling. It was too bad that his brothers did not appreciate the cold as much as he did.

“ _This_ is the life,” Emma breathed the words out, and Ice Bear silently agreed with her as they made their way up to the summit, and the observatory.

The sun would be setting soon, Ice Bear would take a photo of it for Panda, and then they’d dine beneath the stars.

It was a perfect, cloudless night, the stars would look close enough to touch.

Ice Bear was reminded of his childhood. The cold, the snow, and the stars had been constants then. Now, though, it was his brothers who were constants. Each a constellations of their own.

Smiling, Ice Bear took a photo of himself and Emma as the sun began to set, and then he took one of just himself, smiling as the sun dipped below the mountain’s peak. Last, he took a picture of the sunset itself and then simply watched as the sky displayed an impressive array of colorful shades of oranges, purples, and reds, like a Darice Machel McGuire watercolor painting.


	5. Home, Sweet Home, Where 'Ohana Is

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The brothers return home and recall some of the highlights of their time spent in Hawaii.

[Triple Crater Hawaii Volcano Hiking Adventure](https://www.google.com/url?q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.viator.com%2Ftours%2FBig-Island-of-Hawaii%2FTriple-Crater-Hawaii-Volcano-Hiking-Adventure%2Fd669-42469P2)

Grizz, Panda and Ice Bear stood and stretched their stiff muscles before making their way off the plane. It had been a long flight home, and they’d returned with far more than they’d brought with them.

Each wore a brand new aloha shirt -- Grizz, a tan Tommy Bahama shirt featuring old fashioned cars; Panda, a yellow Tommy Bahama shirt with red and pink hibiscus scattered across it; and Ice Bear, a subdued blue, mountain patterned Tommy Bahama shirt that he’d found at a local thrift shop -- and carried fresh flower leis they’d bought at the airport for Chloe, her mother, and Ranger Tabes. They’d learned at a luau on their final night on the big island, that it was a customary gift to bring back to close friends and loved ones.

Grizz took a deep breath, and spread his arms wide. “Home, sweet home,” he declared.

Panda smiled and breathed in the air. Though it didn’t cause him to sneeze, he missed the balmy, fresh air of Hawaii.

After his mishap with the bubbles in the Jacuzzi tub, Panda had learned to use just the right amount of bubble bath to generate the perfect amount of bubbles and had enjoyed as many bubble baths as he could in between the adventures that he went on with his brothers.

He’d stayed at the hotel when Grizz and Ice Bear had gone on the open-door volcanoes helicopter tour. He’d enjoyed looking at the pictures his brothers had taken, but was very happy that he’d opted to stay at the hotel and use one of the Christmas bath bombs instead, especially when he’d seen the picture of Ice Bear hanging off one of the helicopter’s skids, dangling over the gaping maw of an active volcano, a crazy grin on his face.

Grizz was happy to be home, though Hawaii would always hold a warm place in his heart. After his first solo adventure, he’d learned to appreciate his brothers a little more, and had enjoyed going on adventures with them.

He hugged the picture that he’d had framed of the three of them, and Brad and his brothers, on the Triple Crater Hawaii Volcano Adventure that they’d gone on together, to his chest and recalled their time together fondly.

The brothers had joined up again for the previous night’s luau and had exchanged email and social media information. As predicted, Panda and Brandon, Ice Bear and Billy, had hit it off, and spent their time at the Volcano National Park, and at the luau engaged in similar activities, while Grizz had spent most of his time with Brad. They were definitely bros, and had a lot more in common than they’d initially realized.

“We’ll always have Hawaii,” Grizz said as they retrieved their luggage and headed home.

“I’ll miss the Jacuzzi tub,” Panda said wistfully.

“Ice Bear felt at home in Hawaiian snow,” Ice Bear said.

He’d stayed the night on Mauna Kea, hiding in the snow until the tour guide and visitors had left. He wouldn’t have been able to do it without Emma’s help covering for him. She’d been at the previous night’s luau, and Panda had been as tongue tied as Ice Bear had expected him to be around the beautiful girl.

Ice Bear never slept as soundly as he had that night on Mauna Kea, at least not since he’d been a cub, but he’d missed his brothers, and the white sound of the refrigerator’s electrical hum. It had been a good night’s sleep, but it hadn’t been perfect. It hadn’t been home.

Ice Bear got into position at the bottom of the bearstack when they exited the airport. He was looking forward to seeing Chloe and her family again, and to sleeping in his own refrigerator, to putting up the picture that he’d had printed of himself and Emma on the summit of Mauna Kea, the sun a bright orange ball sinking below the horizon behind them, and the picture that Panda had taken of them when they’d first arrived on the island, the rainbow behind them, Panda squinting in the sliver of sunlight.

“There’s nothing half so pleasant as coming home again,” Ice Bear thought aloud. He quite agreed with Margaret Elizabeth Sangster. He knew, also, that home was not a place, but it was comprised of those with whom you chose to spend your time.

Grizz, Panda and Chloe were Ice Bear’s home. They were his ‘ohana.


End file.
